FIRST CONTACT: She was 5 and I was 3. She pushed me off the chair — or did I push her off? Our Mothers never told us who pushed whom, just that it happened. It was a Ladies’ Aid Meeting at Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 420 Downer Place, Aurora, IL. I did not have to look up that address. I remember it well.

We broke up for a few years after that incident, sixteen years to be exact. I tried other girls in between. There was Marsha in the 1st Grade. I was devastated when she moved. I don’t remember if we ever actually talked. That is irrelevant in the First Grade. That, by the way, was the year Butch and I decided that we would walk home to our respective houses on the same block even though it was just recess time. The Principal came, picked me up, and sent me back to the classroom. I still have a little video in my mind of walking back into the classroom that afternoon.

Then a few years later, I was playing in the basement at Sharon’s house (how I got there and why, I have no idea). She kissed me. It scared the bejeebers out of me and I ran home as fast as I could go. We never spoke again. I suspect Sharon doesn’t even remember it happening. If she does, I doubt she would ever admit to it.

Then in the 7th Grade, it was Georgia. Her hair stuck out in curls on either side of her head. She looked cute in her Poodle skirt and bobbie sox rolled down. The closest we came to contact was sitting next to one another by accident at an all school Assembly. She seemed decidedly annoyed that she ended up sitting next to me.

Then there was Paula, tall, with long blond hair. It was the 8th Grade. I thought there was hope. She shut me down when I called her. She said, “I thought I told you not to call!” Then she hung up. She never told me not to call!!

By the way, those all happened in the years I was still tall, second tallest boy in the whole Seventh Grade of maybe sixty kids. Apparently my Pituitary Gland decided it had had enough and stopped putting out. Everyone else grew, I was done with that.

It was not until Pam that a girl I liked actually liked me back. She was from our church, a year older and pretty. As a Sophomore in high school, it was no small thing to be going with someone older. After all the rejection, I was sort of surprised anyone would be interested. When I got my class ring as a Junior, my parents were mightily displeased when I gave it to Pam to declare that we were going steady. Let me clarify for the young among you. It was two years of dating before we held hands and not until she was at college that we kissed — and then it was the sort of kiss that would be seen in a 1950’s movie. Some time in the Senior year, I broke up with her. I am not sure why. I remember during the first year in college writing her and telling her I had made a mistake, but it was too late by then.

My Senior year I did have a couple of dates with classmates. I don’t suppose there would have been any future if the date with Carol had been any more than just a one time casual date. I am not sure a Jewish Spouse would have been a popular thing for a Pastor in a fairly conservative branch of Lutheranism. One of the kids I hung out with in choir and music activities suggested that I ought to become a Rabbi (which is what Mary Ann’s family calls me). I did try to learn to chant Hebrew once. I could read Hebrew and I could chant, but I could not put them together as any fourteen year old Jewish child who goes to Hebrew School can.

When I got to college in Milwaukee, the girls were nowhere to be found. It was an all male student body. What a bummer! I asked a school secretary out, but she said no. Later she told me that she was going out with someone in her home town and was afraid she might like me too much. Nice try! Actually, she married someone who turned out to be a nationally acclaimed writer. She did very well. I know her husband as well and like both of them. They are good people.

In college I did date for a few weeks a girl who made me look tall. Then a young woman came to the school with a choir from another campus of our church body’s schools. Alice had striking red hair. We sort of hit it off, but distance made dating impractical. I don’t actually know how interested she might have been.

Understand that I was always surprised when there was so much as a hint of interest from a girl. Short, big ears, pointed nose, and no practice at the art of dating and interacting with girls, made me very unsure of myself. In those years there was no “hooking up” to be done, especially for a naive ministerial student. Courting was a very measured matter. Or maybe that I thought so was one of my problems.

After the first year of college in Milwaukee, I returned to Aurora to work at Fredrickson’s Office Supply and live at home with my parents for the summer. I had participated, and, I guess, help found a Singles’ Group at Our Saviour. We enjoyed social gatherings, playing Hearts, eating pizza.

SECOND CONTACT: She and Joy were sitting on the bleachers two rows down and just to the left of me. She was yelling (not sweetly) at the umpire at the church softball game. It is there that I met her again after the nasty incident at the Ladies’ Aid Meeting. She had long dark hair, olive skin, striking blue eyes, and a whole lot of attitude. Whatever “at first sight” there was, it sure turned into love in short order.

That story will continue tomorrow.

Today went reasonably well. I began it with two rounds on the path out in the open area at Cedarcrest, the Governer’s Mansion. It is a beautiful estate whose grounds are open to the public. It was a cool, clear morning. The birds were busy, singing loudly. By the way, an exercise walk is not a time for birdwatching. It is a time for bird listening. I was frustrated at how little I know about identifying birds by there call. I did recognize the Red Winged blackbird’s various songs. It took me right back to my years playing in the swamp. The walk was over two miles. At least it is a start.

Every once in a while it would pop into my mind that I needed to get back to the car to check on Mary Ann. After one round, I needed to get back to the house to check on Mary Ann, then I realized that was not necessary — I could walk a second round.

After showering, having breakfast and feeding the birds, there were a few emails to which I responded. Among them were the ones related to what we will be doing in the Aurora area as a remembrance for Mary Ann. The date is set: Saturday, July 10 at Reuland’s, 115 Oak Avenue, Aurora, IL 60506. We have the room from 11:30am to 3:30pm. We will set a specific time for the worship part and remembrances and include that information in a subsequent post. My hope is that everyone who wants to come will come for the luncheon portion also. Those of you who read this blog and are close enough to come are welcome. Please comment to let us know a number so that we can tell Reuland’s how many to prepare for.

When I was walking this morning I thought again about the difference between what our life together looked and felt like from the inside compared to how it looked (and now feels) from the outside. Our life was not lived in relation to what could have been. It was lived in relationship to each other and our reality at the moment. It was the only life we could actually live. What could have been simply did not, does not exist. It is somewhere in those observations that I hope to find the ability to come to terms with the horror of what I see when I look back, when the video is running in my mind.

The day included a trip to the funeral home to deliver the check for the difference between what the Pre-need Plan paid and what it actually cost. I caught the Assistant Administrator off guard when I phoned her after receiving the bill today. I told her that they had undercharged me for something. She corrected it. When I brought the check, she admitted that it was the first time anyone had called to notify them of being billed too little. I would have complained if it had been the other way around. They did the work, they deserve the pay. They also did a very good job. By the way, the funeral home is just blocks away from G’s Frozen Custard. Who knows when I will be back in that area. (Actually, I could have mailed the check. I saved a 44 cent stamp and it only cost me the a dollar’s worth of gas and $3.52 for the Sundae. What a deal!)

Apologies — I still haven’t started the Thank You’s. I now have absolutely no excuse not to get things done.

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